May 25, 2012

"The ultimate in performance, without taking up an inch of floor space" - Secrets of Home Theater on Paradigm's Signature In-Wall/In-Ceiling Speakers

Paradigm Reference SIG-1.5R-30 In-Ceiling Guided Soundfield™ Speaker







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SIG-ADP In-wall Surround Speaker
Stephen Hornbrook of Secrets of Home Theater had primarily used his main listening room for two-channel listening, sacrificing good surround sound for "whatever extra speakers I had laying around for rear channel duty". But one day early this year, Stephen decided "Enough was enough; something had to be done about this crime against surround sound!" And thus began his search to improve his surround/rear setup. However, he wanted to do so without taking up any additional floor space - a challenge we just love to take on here at Paradigm! So, we accepted without reservation and sent him some speakers from our top of the line in-ceiling/in-wall Signature collection. For rears, we went with our top of the line SIG-1.5R-30 30-degree in-ceiling speakers and for surrounds, we picked a pair of our top of the line SIG-ADP in-wall speakers. Off the speakers went to Portland, Oregon where Stephen's construction project began. Just a few months have passed and now we have had the pleasure of reading Stephen's journey to creating the ultimate surround sound theater (without taking up an inch of floor space). Here are a few highlights...

Installation
"Installation of the in-ceilings was a breeze and took under two hours, including some minor paint touchups."

"The SIG-1.5R-30 is part of a new Designer Series that feature an almost invisible bezel. The grills snap right into place, thanks to the tiny magnets around the edge of the speaker, and the bezel-less effect is very clean and esthetically pleasing."

Paradigm's Signature in-wall/in-ceiling speakers, installed and ready to go!
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Testing, testing...
"The Paradigm's melted away into the walls, as if there were no speakers there at all.

 "The full range of the ADP's was truly appreciated here as I could feel explosions around me. The idea that surrounds only need to reproduce midrange and treble is complete hogwash. DTS-HD Master Audio allows for full range signals on all channels and there is plenty of sound information that could be lost with small surround speakers, and it frees up your subwoofers to handle only the LFE track."

"I was worried going to 7 channels would be a waste of time and the benefit over 5 would be marginal at best. Well I can now throw that thought away because I wish every soundtrack was mixed for 7.1."

"Having the Paradigm Signatures in my ceiling and walls truly took my home theater to the next level. I have no clue how I lived with my home theater prior to these speakers being installed."

Conclusion
"Paradigm provided the perfect solution; not only could I upgrade to 7 channels, but I could do so without using up any space. In fact, I was able to gain back some real estate by ditching my rear speakers and stands. After hearing the Paradigm Signature ADP's and 1.5R-30's with 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio am I a firm believer in its ability to envelop the viewer in the movie's sound and music."

"Absolutely check out Paradigm's Signature collection of in-wall and in-ceiling speakers if you are looking for the ultimate in performance, without taking up an inch of floor space." ...We could not have said it better ourselves.

Click here! to read the full review on the Secrets website.
Click here! for more info. on Paradigm's custom line of products.

May 18, 2012

"The Monitor SUB 12 hits hard, really hard ... but does it in a refined way" - HomeTheaterReview

Sean Killebrew of HomeTheaterReview was given the opportunity to review one of our newest subwoofers in the Monitor Series 7 lineup - the Monitor SUB 12. Housing a 12" driver, trickle down corrugated surround technology and ports for Paradigm's PBK and PT-2, all elegantly packed into a compact cabinet, the SUB 12 is a pretty exciting sub for us folks here at Paradigm. We were anxious to hear what Sean had to say and on Monday we found out... turns out he is just as excited about it as we are! We encourage you to read the full review but here are some highlights...

Minimalist & Menacing
"The design of the Monitor SUB 12 can accurately be described as minimalist, which is good for getting it past a discerning wife. This said, the grille is removable. The Monitor SUB 12 looks much more menacing without it, thanks to those corrugated surrounds on the cone."

Sophisticated Room Correction

"...the effects of the Perfect Bass Kit were immediately noticeable, mainly in that the Monitor SUB 12 was now more of an integrated piece of the system and drew less attention to itself. The bass was more precise and natural, exactly how you want it to be, especially when your goal with music reproduction is transparency."

"...the Monitor SUB 12 was more sophisticated, for lack of a better word, than many of the other subs I've heard in this price range. This is a testament not only to the engineering of the Monitor SUB 12, but also the equalization/optimization offered by the PBK... most of Paradigm's competitors in this range don't offer this sort of sophisticated room correction system...the Perfect Bass Kit is well worth the price, especially if your room is acoustically messy."

Visceral Experience
"The Monitor SUB 12 came alive and blended seamlessly with the rest of the speakers in my system. The bass was powerful without being overbearing and brought quite a bit of depth."

"...the Monitor SUB 12 shone. It provided punishing, room-filling bass in a room that's over 350 square feet. I had actually watched this film prior to using the Perfect Bass Kit and found the bass to be a bit looser and less focused. With the PBK engaged, the bass was a tighter, more fully realized part of the presentation and showed no signs of bloat."

"I really got a dose of those Santoprene surrounds, as the Monitor SUB 12 was deftly moving big time air and I could feel it pounding in my chest, much the same way you do at a bass-heavy live concert."

"The experience was visceral and I ended up playing this chapter back for a few friends, so they could experience what well-engineered, chest-rattling bass sounds like. This elicited plenty of dropped jaws and comments about the experience."

Going Wireless
"Setting up the PT-2 was an absolute breeze. You simply connect the transmitter to your processor, plug it in and then press the button to sync it with the sub - it's really that simple."

"I can certainly envision a husband using it to get spousal approval for adding a subwoofer to his system, due to the fact that you can hide it. I can also see it coming in handy in a dual-subwoofer home theater configuration, allowing you to place each sub wherever they compliment each other the best."

"Despite a major volume push, the bass remained taut and compelling, providing an incredibly immersive experience. Films like this demand subs with substantial drivers, powerful amps and solid engineering; Paradigm delivers all three in spades... I never encountered any drops or dips in performance with the sub connected wirelessly."

The Bottom Line
"Though the Monitor SUB 12 is an exemplary subwoofer on its own, mating it with the Perfect Bass Kit and taking the time to get everything just right is what makes it a game-changer at this price point. I can't say that I've heard other bass this powerful and low-reaching for under a grand."

"The engineers at Paradigm have created something special with the Monitor SUB 12. While I consider its true strength to lay in recreating explosions, gun play and all the other sonic treats a good action film can deliver, it can also adequately service your music collection with taut, highly-resolved bass."

"The bottom line is that the Monitor SUB 12 hits hard, really hard ... but does it in a refined way... The Monitor SUB 12 is a shining example of that type of bridge product, as it provides an affordable, immersive home theater experience that is really difficult to beat at this price point."

At 4.5 stars, we think we hit a home run! 

Click here! to read the full review.
Click here! for more info. on the Monitor SUB 12.

May 14, 2012

We did it again! Paradigm wins Inside Track's Best Price/Value Award

22 years and counting!!

Paradigm has once again earned #1 "Best Price/Value" in the category of Home Audio/Speakers Companies from Inside Track - an annual Independant nationwide survey of consumer electronics specialist retailers and custom installers.

For 30 years, Paradigm has focused on the performance/value relationship when building speakers and subwoofers and not only has it become our identity in the industry and to our customers, but also by our network of valued dealers and custom installers.

We are absolutely honored to accept the 2012 award for Best Price/Value from Inside Track and we look forward to continuing to build high-performance speakers and subwoofers at a great value for many, many years.

For more information on Paradigm products click here!
Photograph compliments of Jason Hartog Photography

May 4, 2012

"How did they sound? In a word, terrific." - Andre Marc of AVRev.com on the Paradigm SHIFT E3m

Andre Marc of Audio Video Revolution (a.k.a. AVRev.com) tested out a pair of our Paradigm SHIFT E3m earbuds and what were his overall thoughts? ... We'll leave it to Andre to say,  "In a word, terrific." Andre's review hit AVRev.com this week and we'd love for you to give it a read in full. In the mean time, here's an attempt at a summary...

Initial Doubts
"I must say upfront that I have never been fond of in ear buds and I have always used traditional headphones or portable models with ear hooks. I simply could never get earbuds to stay in properly and have always been underwhelmed by the sound, which tended to be thin."

The Confute
"The SHIFT in ear buds are the first such products that I have had no issue with. They fit perfectly, did not come out at any point, and never got tangled up. Since I generally use headphones exclusively for the gym and occasionally while traveling, this is a major plus. E3m’s were very comfortable and I barely noticed they were in my ear, and they were totally unobtrusive."

Sounds "Terrific"
"How did they sound? In a word, terrific. I would characterize their overall sound as a bit on the warmish side. High frequencies were mellow, midrange textures were supple, and bass was weighty and articulate... These earbuds were also very easy to drive, with plenty of usable volume range. Even the quietest portable devices should have no problem."


"I used the E3m’s on my Apple iPod Nano and really enjoyed the plush sound across all genres of music, including alternative, jazz, classic rock, world, and R&B. I thought imaging was excellent, and at certain points I had forgotten I was even listening to earbuds, as there was the illusion of three-dimensional sound on well-recorded material."



Extra Features
"There was also very good insulation from outside noise. These are not active noise cancelling earbuds per se, but they were great at not letting competing ambient noise in."

"Obviously a lot of engineering went into the E3m’s performance and the microphone and volume control are not just tacked on features... The volume control and microphone worked flawlessly, and the earbuds themselves and the connectors were well above average in build."

Conclusion
"Paradigm has yet again done their homework, developing a great sounding product that is well built and ergonomically impressive... their performance is in line with, or even surpasses, headphones and earbuds I have owned costing the same and even much more. If you are shopping for an upgrade to the crummy earbuds that come with your iDevice, put the Paradigm SHIFT series at the top of your list."

Click here! to read Andre Marc's full review at AVRev.com.
Click here! for more info on the Paradigm SHIFT E3m and to buy online.

May 3, 2012

"The local Cineplex was truly outclassed by the SUB 1 in my basement and left me with no reason to go back to the theater" - Secrets of Home Theater

"One can never be too rich, too good looking, or have too much bass. The first two axioms are ones that unfortunately I cannot test out myself, but the third is one that I am willing to give a shot" - Chris Heinonen of Secrets of Home Theater.

And a shot he most certainly took when the delivery truck backed in and dropped off a pair of Paradigm Reference Signature SUB 1s!


Since then, Chris' review of the "elegant but brawny beast of a sub" has been published and below are some excerpts...

Performance
"In the room above my home theater people sitting on the couch would feel everything vibrate from the SUB 1s below, but in the room the bass was tight and solid, without the thumping you would get from a subwoofer that is loud, but lacks control."

"Being used to less capable subs that had to create a lot of distortion to produce really powerful bass, I was expecting to hear that same distortion and error while listening to the SUB 1. Instead I was hearing the bass integrate perfectly in with the rest of the speakers, remaining tight and full, but not bloated or slow...The SUB 1 was subtler, adapting to the environment and staying hidden in the corners while making its presence felt but not distracting you from everything else."

"The SUB 1 provided some very good weight to the notes, but without pulling your ear towards them or presenting any voicing issues that would let you realize you were hearing the same note from two speakers. Once the drum kicks in the SUB 1s had no trouble keeping up with the music, which is an area I've seen other sub and speaker combinations fall behind in the past."

"(at the move theater)... What was missing was a few seconds of low, room shaking bass that the SUB 1 was able to reproduce from that fanfare that I had never heard before, and didn't hear in the theater. The local Cineplex was truly outclassed by the SUB 1 in my basement and left me with no reason to go back to the theater anytime soon."

Conclusion: On the Test Bench
"Overall the SUB 1s had some really powerful output, and the PBK showed how effective it can be on both the bench and in real life."

Final Thoughts
"So what was I missing without a reference level subwoofer? One thing was bass that integrated with my speakers and filled in those lower octaves, but without drawing unnecessary attention to itself. I was also missing out on notes that I can feel in my body and not even the movie theater could reproduce."

"In the end I was really missing another dimension to music and movies that I had survived without, but no longer want to give up. I would have loved to see how they combined with the Paradigm (Signature) S2 speakers I reviewed last year, which provide better detail and soundstaging than my current speakers but don't hit the lower octaves quite as well."

Click here! to read the full SUB 1 review by Chris Heinonen.
Click here! for more information on Paradigm's Signature SUB 1.